Unitary rammer-ejector for firearms



June 14, 1955 c. E. SIMPSON UNITARY RAMMER-EJECTOR FOR FIREARMS 2Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 16, 1953 HTTOENEYS June 14, 1955 c. E. slMPsoN2,710,477

UNITARY RAMMER'EJECTOR FOR FIREARMS Filed Jan. 16, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2iig-EL TTOQNEYS 2,710,477 Patented .lune 14, 1955 Las! UNHTARYRAMMER-EJECTR FR FIREARMS Clarence E. Simpson, Wilbraharn, Mass.,assigner to the United States of America as represented by the Secretaryof the Army Application Sanitary 16, 1953, Serial No. 331,755

S Claims. (Cl. i2- 25) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec.266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by orfor the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of anyroyalty thereon.

This invention relates to automatic firearms having a longitudinallyreciprocating bolt and relates more particularly to cartridge feedingand ejecting mechanisms therefor.

lt is an object of this invention to provide a simple, unitary rammingand ejecting means for firearms wherein the cartridges are fed fromabove and ejected below the bolt to obtain a compact firearm.

A specific object of this invention is to provide a means for electingthe tired cartridge cases at a point prior to the completion of therecoil stroke of the bolt.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects andadvantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferredembodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View of a firearm showingthe position assumed by the mechanism of this invention in the act ofstripping a cartridge 'from the cartridge belt during counter-recoil ofthe bolt;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1, but showing the position of therammer-ejeetor mechanism with the bolt in full recoil position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rammer-ejector mechanism of thisinvention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top view of a lire-arm bolt showing therammer-ejector mechanism incorporated therein;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 but with the rammerejector mechanismremoved;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View taken along line 6--6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a front view partly in section of the rearm stock showing thebolt fully recoiled therein.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a firearm having atubular receiver 12 to the rear end of which is secured a tubular member13 which extends rearwardly Slt) to the form the rear end of thereceiver and also the stock of the firearm. A bolt 14 is arranged toreciprocate longitudinally along suitable ways provided in receiver 12and in tubular member 13. Bolt 14 essentially com prises a body member16 and a rectangular head member 15 slidably mounted in the forward endthereof. Body member 16 is provided with arcuate sides, which slidablyengage the interior wall of tubular member 13, and a rectangular topsurface 17, which slidably engages a similar rectangular surface 1Sprovided on the bottom of a guide member 19 lixedly secured to the upperinterior surface of tubular member 13.

Secured within the forward portion of receiver 12 is a barrel extension2i), which receives the breech end of a conventionally chambered barrel21. A substantially rectangular channel 22 of the same size as bolt headmember 15 is provided longitudinally in barrel extension to permitabutment of bolt head member 15 with the breech end of barrel 21. A rampportion 28, having a purpose to be later explained, extends downwardlyand forwardly from the upper rear face of barrel extension 20 to channel22.

Pivctally hinged to the upper forward portion of receiver 12, is a covermember 23 in which there is incorporated a sprocket type feedingmechanism 24, fully described and explained in copending patentapplication, Serial No. 317,605, led October 29, 1952, which advancescartridges 39 held by a disintegrating link belt to a feedway 26 in theupper portion of receiver 12. Provided centrally in feedway 26 is a slotor opening 27 l'iaving forwardly and outwardly projecting sides whichguide cartridge 3d into the interior of receiver 12. A cartridgedepressor member 29, such as is described in the first mentionedcopending patent application, directs cartridge downwardly through slot27 while being rammed forwardly, in a manner to be explained later.

Provided in the bottom portion of receiver 12, rearwardly adjacentbarrel extension 20, is an ejection port 32 for tired cartridge cases. Atrigger housing 33, containing a conventional trigger mechanism 43, isassembled to receiver 12 adjacent the rearward end of ejection port 32.

A longitudinal ring pin 35 is mounted in the forward end of bolt bodymember 16 and slidably projects through a longitudinal, axial holeprovided in bolt head member 15. A cylindrical recess 36 is provided inthe forward face of bolt head member 15 to receive the base of cartridge39 and is so arranged that the forward end of tiring pin 35 projectscentrally therein to lire a chambered cartridge 30 when bolt 14 goesinto battery position. The periphery of cartridge recess 36 is undercutto receive the rim around the base of cartridge 30 formed by extractorgroove 4S. Provided in the lower side of bolt head member 15 is anextractor 37 the forward end of which is spring-biased upwardly,enabling a cartridge engaging lug 34 thereon to securely engageextractor groove 48.

On the upper side of bolt head member 15 there is provided alongitudinal rectangular slot 3S the sides of which are in alignmentwith the sides of a similar rectangular slot 39 provided longitudinallyalong the length of top portion 17 of bolt body member 16. The rearwardportion of slot 3S is undercut to form a T-slot 41 having a purposewhich will presently appear. The forward portion of slot 38 is providedwith a stepped-up bottom portion in which there is arranged alongitudinal rectangular groove 42. In the forward end of rectangulargroove 42 there is provided a notch 44 which slopes forwardly anddownwardly to communicate with cylindrical recess 36. A rectangular,dove-t`ailed slot 45 is provided in the top portion of bolt head member15, transversely intersecting Slot 38, to accommodate a matingsubstantially rectangular retainer-stop 46.

Accommodated in bolt head member 15, as hereinafter described, is arammerejector mechanism 50 which is preferably fabricated from a singlepiece of steel of such type that substantial spring resilience may beinduced therein. Kammer-ejector essentially comprises a mounting portion51, from which there forwardly extends a rectangular rammer portion S2,and an arched ejector portion 53.

Mounting portion 51 is substantially rectangular with the bottom surfaceformed by a rectangular under-surface 59 which slopes downwardly andforwardly and a similar surface 60 which extends contiguously forwardly,and upwardly therefrom. The junction of undersurface portions 59 and 66forms a pivotal point 61. Projecting from each side of mounting portion51 is a substantially diamond shaped lug 62, the bottom surfaces ofwhich are integral with undersurfaces 59 and 60 and the top surfacesform a pivotal point 63 directly above pivotal point 61. The union oflugs 62 with mounting portion 51 forms a T- shaped structure which isengageable with T-slot 41 in bolt head member 15 and slidably securesrammer-ejector 50 thereto. Provided in the top of mounting member 51 isa rectangular notch S8 through which retainer-stop 46 passes to providelimited longitudinal reciprocation of rammer-ejector 5t) in bolt headmember 15.

Kammer-portion 52 is arranged parallel with front undersurface portion60 of mounting portion 51 and is engageable with rectangular slot 38..The forward end of rammer portion 52 projects beyond the forward face ofbolt head member 15 and the bottom side thereof is providedwith atransverse arcuate recess 54, the curved portion of which completes theperiphery of cylindrical recess 36 when rammer portion 52 is fullyengaged in rectangular slot 38.

Ejector portion 53 extends from mounting portion 50 below rammer portion52, with the forward portion resiliently engaging rectangular groove 42.The forward end of ejector portion 53 is provided with a downwardlydepending triangular lug 56 which slidably engages triangular notch 44in the forward end of rectangular groove 42 when rammer-ejector 51) isin its rearmost position relative to bolt head member 15.

The resilient engagement of ejector portion 53 with rectangular groove42 pivots the forward end of rammerejector 50 upwardly on pivotal points61 and 63 to bring rear undersurface 59 into engagement with the lowerside of T-slot 41 and causes rammer portion 52 to project angularlyupward from bolt head member 15.

When rammer portion 52 is pressed downwardly by external pressure intorectangular slot 38 against the bias of ejector portion 53, in a mannerto be later described, rammer-ejector 50 rocks on pivotal points 61 and63 to engage forward undersurface portion 60 with the bottom of T-slot41. When rammer portion 52 is pressed into rectangular slot 38 ejectorportion 53 is simultaneously engaged in rectangular groove 42.

A longitudinal rectangular channel 67 having a bottom open portion ofnarrower width extends rearwardly into guide member 19 from the forwardend thereof and is arranged in alignment with rectangular slot 39 inbolt body member 16. Accommodated in rectangular channel 67 is anactuator member 69 and a coiled compression spring 68 which contacts therear wall of rectangular channel 67 and the rear end of actuator member69. Actuator member 69 comprises a rectangular body portion 70, which isslidably mounted in rectangular recess 67,' and a forwardly projectinglug portion 71 having a downwardly depending heel portion 72 whichslidably engages rectangular slot 39 in bolt body member 16, and anupwardly projecting toe portion 73.

Bolt 14 is held in recoil position against the bias of a driving spring(not shown) which urges bolt 14 forwardly when released by triggermeans. As bolt head member 15 comes adjacent slot 27, in feedway 26, theupwardly extending rammer portion 52 projects therethrough to engage thebase of cartridge 30 indexed in feeding mechanism 24. The engagement oframmer portion 52 with the base of cartridge 30 urges rammer-ejector 50rearwardly against the bias of spring 68 and thus cushions the impact toprovide a smoother initial movement of cartridge 30 down cartridgedepressor 29'toward the chamber of barrel 21.

As cartridge 30 is moved forwardly and downwardly through slot 27, thebase thereof moves out of contact with rammer portion 52 into engagementwith the forward face of bolt head member 15 and ultimately intoalignment with cylindrical recess 36 therein. Also during the forwardtravel of bolt 14, rammer-ejector 5G moves beyond the forward reach ofactuator member 69 and out of resilient contact therewith.

As bolt 14 approaches the rear end of barrel-extension 20, the forwardend of rammer portion 52 engages ramp portion 28 therein to cam rammerportion 52 downwardly against the spring bias of ejector portion 53 intoslidable engagement with the top surface of channel 22, and bolt 14continues forwardly to chamber cartridge 30. The forward thrust of bolt14 against ehambered cartridge 30 results in the engagement of the basethereof with cylindrical recess 36 with the rim portion seated in theundercut periphery 0f cylindrical recess 36 and cartridge engaging head34 of extractor 37 engaged in extractor groove 48. When cartridge 30isengaged with cylindrical recess 36, the cartridge base contactstriangular lug 56 on the end of ejector portion 53 to holdrammer-ejector 50 rearwardly in head portion 15. In the rearwardmostposition of ejector portion 53, relative to bolt head 15, triangular lug56 thereon is engaged with triangular notch 44.

When bolt head member 15 reaches battery position, bolt body member 16continues forwardly, thrusting ring pin 35 forwardly to fire cartridge30. When cartridge 30 is fired, bolt 14 recoils and withdraws the firedcartridge case from the chamberV of barrel 21 by the engagement of thecartridge rim in the undercut of the periphery of cylindrical recess 36and the engagement of cartridge engaging lug 34 of extractor 37 inextractor groove 48. The tired cartridge case is carried rearwardly bybolt 14 until heel portion 72 of actuator 69 re-engages rammer-ejector50, with the upwardly projecting toe portion 73 assuring engagement, atwhich point the cartridge case is fully aligned with ejector port 32.Thus, actuator 69 urges rammer-ejector 50 forwardly in head member 15,with ejector portion 53 thrusting against the upper portion of the baseof the cartridge case. Triangular lug 56 on ejector portion 53 assurescontact thereof with the base of the cartridge The thrust ejectorportion 53 unseats the rim of the cartridge case from the undercutperiphery of cylindrical recess 36 and pivots the cartridge case aroundcartridge engaging lug 34 of extractor 37 to be expelled out of ejectionport 32. Spring 68 is further compressed by actuator 69 as bolt 14 movesinto full recoil position. It is obvious that the point at which thecartridge case is ejected during the recoil ilight of bolt 14 may becontrolled by the length of spring 68 and actuator 69. Thus, as in thepresent embodiment Where it is desirable to eject the cartridge casesfrom the bottom rather than the side of the receiver to obtain a morecompact firearm, the ejection port may be placedforward of the triggermechanism intermediate the extremes of the bolt travel.

, There is seen by the foregoing description that there is here providedfor automatic firearms a simple, rugged and compact means for feedingcartridges from a cartridge belt to the barrel chamber duringcounter-recoil of the bolt and for ejecting cartridges during therecoil.

I claim:

l. In an automatic firearm, a receiver having a feedway adapted toreceive a linked belt of cartridges intermittently moved therethrough byfeeding means rotatably mounted above the linked belt in said receiver,said feedway being provided with a longitudinally disposed opening inthe center thereof, a bolt reciprocably mounted in said receiver forlongitudinal movement between a battery and recoil position, said bolthaving a longitudinally disposed slot in the upper part thereof arrangedto slidably receive a rammer-ejector mechanism, said bolt being providedwith a stop transversely disposed to said longitudinal slot forcooperation with a rectangular notch in said rammer-ejector mechanismthereby limiting the longitudinal movement of said rammer-ejectormechanism, a spring-biased actuator slidably mounted in the upper partof said receiver rearwardly of said mechanism arranged for biasing saidmechanism forwardly during recoil, said mechanism having a rammerportion for urging a cartridge forwardly from the belt when said bolt ismoving into a battery position, means for deliecting the cartridgedownwardly through said opening into a chambered position, and anejector portion of said mechanism for ejecting a spent cartridge casedownwardly when said actuator biases said mechanism forwardly when saidbolt is moving into the recoil position,

2. In an automatic firearm, a receiver having a feedway adapted toreceive a linked belt of cartridges intermittently moved therethrough byfeeding means rotatably mounted above the linked belt in said receiver,said feedway being provided with a longitudinally disposed opening inthe center thereof, a bolt rcciprocably mounted in said receiver forlongitudinal movement between a battery and recoil position, said bolthaving a longitudinally disposed slot in the upper part thereofterminating in a T-slot rearwardly thereto, a springbiasedrammer-ejector mechanism having protruding lugs on each sdethe'reofarranged for Vslidable''cooperation with said T-slot of said bolt, saidbolt being provided with a stop transversely disposed to said T-slot forcooperation with a rectangular notch in said rammerejector mechanismthereby limiting the longitudinal movement of said rammer-ejectormechanism therein, said mechanism comprising an ejector portionarcuately shaped for resilient engagement with said slot in said boltand having a rammer portion resiliently disposed above said ejectorportion and protruding through said opening for urging a cartridgeforwardly from the belt when said bolt is moving into a batteryposition, means for detiecting the cartridge downwardly through saidopening into a chambered position, a barrel extension positioned in theforward part of said receiver and being provided with a forwardly anddownwardly depending ramp in the rear end thereof whereby said rammerportion is deected downwardly against said ejector portion when thecartridge is chambered, and a spring-biased actuator slidably mounted inthe upper part of said receiver rearwardly of said mechanism arrangedfor biasing said mechanism forwardly during recoil whereby said ejectorportion ejects a spent cartridge case.

3. In a firearm having a bolt slidably mounted for reciprocal movementbetween a recoil and a counterrecoil position, and feed means forintermittently positioning a cartridge above the bolt and in parallelalignment with the longitudinal axis thereof, a unitary rammerejectormember comprising a body portion having a diamond-shaped lug projectingtransversely from either side thereof for slidable engagement in the topof the bolt, a rammer portion projecting forwardly and upwardly fromsaid body portion beyond the face of the bolt, an

arched ejector portion projecting forwardly from said body portionbeneath said rammer portion and terminating in a depending lug adaptedto engage the base of a cartridge gripped in the front face of the bolt,and means in the bolt operative on said depending lug of said ejectorportion for normally rocking said body portion rearwardly about saiddiamond-shaped lugs thereon to elevate the free end of said rammerportion for engaging the base of a cartridge during counterrecoil of thebolt.

4. In a firearm having a bolt slidably mounted for longitudinalreciprocal movement between a recoil and a counterrecoil position, abarrel having a firing chamber therein, a barrel extension projectingfrom the rear end of the barrel to form a recess for entry of the boltat the conclusion of counterrecoil movement thereof, and feed means forintermittently positioning a cartridge above the bolt and in parallelalignment with the longitudinal axis thereof, the bolt having asubstantially rectangular T-slot formed in the top thereof and extendingforwardly from the rear end and having a `substantially rectangulargroove extending forwardly from said T-slot and disposed in a higherelevational plane relative thereto, said rectangular groove terminatingin a notch therein adjacent the face of the bolt, a unitaryrammer-ejector member comprising a body portion having an undersidesurface sloping forwardly from the rear end thereof and an oppositelysloping surface extending forwardly from said rst surface to form apivot point at the junction thereof, a diamond-shaped lug projectingfrom either side of said body portion for slidable engagement in saidT-slot, said lugs being located with the converging surfaces on theunderside thereof coinciding with said pivot point on the underside ofsaid body portion, a rammer portion projecting forwardly from said bodyportion along said T-slot and upwardly out of said groove, an archedresilient ejector portion projecting forwardly from said body portionbeneath said rammer portion and terminating in a depending lugengageable in said notch in the front end of said groove, said notchbeing in Va higher elevational plane than the normal position impartedto said depending lug as a result of the curvature of said ejectorportion whereby said body portion is rocked about said pivot pointthereof to position the free end of said rammer portion for engaging thebase of the cartridge in the feed means during counterrecoil of thebolt, and cam means on the upper wall surface of the recess in thebarrel extension operative on the free end of said rammer portion torock said body portion of said rammer-ejector forwardly about said pivotpoint on the underside thereof and permit entry of said rammer portioninto the barrel extension recess during the conclusion of counterrecoilof the bolt, said ejector portion being thereby resiliently biased torock said body portion rearwardly upon disengagement between said rammerportion and the upper wall surface of the barrel extension recess tothereby return said rammer portion to a cartridge-engaging position.

5. In a firearm having a bolt slidably mounted for reciprocal movementbetween a recoil and a counterrecoil position, and feed means forintermittently positioning a cartridge above the bolt and in parallelalignment with the longitudinal axis thereof, a unitary rammerejectormember comprising a body portion having a dit.- mond-shaped lugprojecting transversely from either side thereof for slidable engagementin the top of the bolt, a rammer portion projecting forwardly andupwardly from said body portion beyond the face of the bolt, an archedejector portion projecting forwardly from said body portion beneath saidrammer portion and terminating in a depending lug adapted to projectfrom the face of thc bolt and engage the base of a fired cartridge casebeing gripped thereby, means in the bolt operative on said depending lugfor normally rocking said body portion rearwardly about saiddiamond-shaped lugs thereon to position the free end of said rammerportion for engaging the base of a cartridge in the feed means duringcounterrecoil movement of the bolt, an actuator slidably mounted in thepath of movement of the rear end of said rammer-ejector member duringrecoil movement of thc bolt whereby said ejector portion is forcedforwardly to protrude from the face of the bolt into contact with thebase of an extracted cartridge case for effecting ejection thereof outof the firearm, and spring means biasing said actuator forwardly tocushion the impact thereof on the rear end of said rammer-ejector memberand thereby impart a relatively smooth cartridge ejection movementthereto.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,682,704 Loomis Aug. 28, 1928 2,113,202 Stange Apr. 5, 1938 FOREIGNPATENTS 681,676 Great Britain Oct. 29, 1952

